• HeathenPope@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    41
    ·
    4 months ago

    I actually might be able to provide some insight to this. My wife is Balkan and the first time I called her a “Silly Goose” she became madly upset. It turns out in her language the phrase “Glupova Gusko” (Stupid Goose) is a common insult. It is considered incredibly harsh in her culture. My guess is that the phrase “Silly Goose” is borrowed from a Slavic Language and lost its harshness when it moved into English.

    • Oisteink@feddit.nl
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      24
      ·
      4 months ago

      It’s a common insult in many languages - with a lot of theories about origins. You can track medival usage of this all over Europe, but I have no knowledge about other continents.

      Insults in general hold more power in honor-cultures. Your grandparents might have reacted the same way she did, while you might not feel the same.

  • BodilessGaze@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    34
    ·
    4 months ago

    The silliest person I know was deadly serious and no-nonsense at work. Their silly side only came out among friends. Maybe you just need to befriend a goose?

    • Track_Shovel@slrpnk.netOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      4 months ago

      Believe it or not, I am actually really serious at work, unless we are friends. I have to be super accurate all the time and I hold myself to very high standards.

      Memes are a release

      • BodilessGaze@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        12
        ·
        4 months ago

        I asked my goose friend what he thinks about this and he just honked. Though I suspect he didn’t hear me, since he seemed to be busy balancing on his unicycle (his feet can’t reach the pedals, so he has to flap his wings to balance)

  • Uriel238 [all pronouns]@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    13
    ·
    4 months ago

    This is why you have to run when you find a goose among your ducks.

    I thought up Goose as a superhero for a street level setting, essentially she’s a tough scrapper, easy to underestimate, and is really good at blending into crowds or workstaff. Mistique without the mutant shapechangey stuff.

  • Icalasari@fedia.io
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    4 months ago

    I am damned well sure I could take one (would get battered, but I’d come out on top, just need to get it by the neck once)

    The problem is those fuckers live in flocks

  • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    4 months ago

    i think this would probably explain the phrase “silly goose”

    I imagine the whole point is to say that someone is “sillier than a goose” famously known for, not being silly at all. Arguing that you are so silly, that you look like a goose being silly.